Christmas
The cards are ready to go – except
that I've just thought of two more, unaccountably not on the list.
And I wrapped four more presents.
[One of them was “The House of Mirth”
by Edith Wharton. I'm sure the recipient doesn't read this blog, so
you can be sure it's not you. I wonder if I've ever read it. It
starts terribly well, making you feel as you feel on one of Jane
Austen's first pages, that you are in the hands of a master. Perhaps
we'll have it for our next bedtime book -- even if we have had it
before -- once we finish Scott's “The Pirate”, currently being read
for the sake of its Shetland setting.]
Nothing is specifically scheduled for
today. My target is those last two cards, more wrapping, and the
cranberry sauce. And perhaps that business with the steam iron.
Helen asks why I have so many cards to
write. One sort of accumulates them, in a long life. It is a valuable
way of keeping in touch with distant friends. A silly and expensive way of saying howdy to people one is in regular contact with.
She has just had a run-in with “an
enormous killer centipede” on Mt Pelion. Helen is intrepid, but she
says she just screeches and turns to jelly when it comes to
centipedes. They will be here soon – I want to hear the whole
story.
When Rachel's son Joe was with us in Strathardle recently, toiling valiantly in the vineyard, he said that he'd like a subscription to the Economist for Chrustmas. For countless years past, he has had Rugby World but he thought it was time to go for something more grown-up. So I got one for him, and a fortnight ago got a daft email from them apparently saying that Joe had given me a gift subscription.
I forwarded the message to him, and got a bit worried. Joe sent me this lovely picture last Friday.
Knitting
I'm shaping the shoulders on the front
of Milano. Not far to go.
[Just when I thought I had subdued this
wretched computer with the latest re-set, it has suddenly burst into
song, right here in Open Office. I've shut it up by turning the sound off.]
I was interested in what you said, Mary
Lou, about the difficulty LYS's have in keeping madeleinetosh in
stock. I had a look at Jimmy Bean and sure enough, there are a lot of
gaps. Loop, in London, stocks a smaller range of the yarns and has a
pretty good run of colours in each, with a pretty good stock level.
But it is indeed all a bit precarious. I will be very interested to
see what the Yarnery comes up with.
And maybe I'd better keep an eye on
Modeknit Yarn.
Meadow Yarn has just started stocking MadTosh http://www.meadowyarn.co.uk/ and their service is good
ReplyDeleteI love sending and receiving Christmas cards, they make a place cheerful, what we shall do without them I cannot say. The dining room shelves will not be the same.
I recently encountered such a centipede in our night-lit bathroom--it seemed the same size as one of the smaller Yorkshire terriers and I thought we might have to name it!
ReplyDeleteHere in Canada, we're facing the end of home delivery of the post, along with a terrific hike in the cost of stamps. That will wreak havoc with people's Xmas card lists.
Thanks to your mention of "Life after Life" , the audible version was purchased and has just about concluded in my ears. It look a while, maybe an hour of listening, to figure out what Ursella's blacknesses were about. After the conclusion of the book today, I will have a re-listen. Thanks for the mention of this book.
ReplyDeleteI have good luck with Eat.Sleep.Knit.com; its here in the states. Sipping is same day, so it arrives quickly.
ReplyDeletewww.littleknits.com in Seattle also stocks MadelineTosh - for good prices. but i don't know anything about stock levels.
ReplyDeleteMy "local" stock a lot of tosh.....does mail order......
ReplyDeletehttp://www.needleemporium.com/productlist.cfm?category=59&secondary=92